Ferry Building Marketplace

San Francisco, California: It was a gorgeous morning in San Francisco! No wind. Clear skies. Temperatures into the low 70's predicted! DT went for a jog on the trails in the next-door Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, returned four miles later, and decided he wasn't comfortable letting me run on the trails alone. How chivalrous! However, it is very difficult for a real runner (such as DT) to run with a very slow jogger such as myself - but he did because he is the Best Husband Ever. (I did not see any unsavory characters on my jog this morning, but I cannot guarantee a few unsavory characters did not see me.)

(We went back later in the afternoon to take park photos.)

Great trails and paved bike paths meander about the park. (DT was also afraid I would get lost.) Beautiful views, lots of birds, ground squirrels, lizards and wildflowers - including quite a bit of fragrant fennel.

Ice plant
More Ice Plant
Ice plant with Bumblebee
This is a Silver Mantled ground squirrel, often called a Gray Digger. They are everywhere in the park and don't seem to be very afraid of humans.

Late morning we drove into the city - only about a ten minute drive from the RV park - to visit the Ferry Building Marketplace, stroll around, have lunch and do a little shopping. (Don't forget this is the DejaVu All Over Again tour, as we revisiting many of our old favorites on this adventure.)

Retro street car cruising down the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
Opened in 1898, the Ferry Building was the center of most transportation - ferry or train - in and out of the city. As transportation needs changed, the building was mostly vacant until recently when it was completely renovated to house shops, a farmers market and restaurants. Ferries still operate daily from the dock behind the Market Building.

What does a girl need after a nice jog along the San Francisco Bay? Lunch at The Slanted Door and a cocktail of course!
Seriously. This was my breakfast. Okay, it was one o'clock in the afternoon, but still... how could I refuse the Ginger Limeade (Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka, ginger and lime - served with a slice of lime and disk of crystallized ginger)?
Just as we dined last evening, for lunch today we tried three appetizer portions to share. First course - Vegetarian Spring Rolls with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, noodles and mint, served with a peanut sauce. The rolls were encased in rice paper.
I would call this a Thai Salad Roll, but whatever... it was so fresh and light. Perfect.
Next course? Japanese Yellowtail sashimi with crispy shallots and Thai basil.
The crispy shallots on the fish were the highlight - sweet and crunchy. Great contrast to the creamy soft fish. Another winner!

Ready for the final chapter in this dining adventure story?
Drum roll please... Five-Spiced Duck Confit Salad with frisee lettuce, gala apple and sherry-shallot vinaigrette. Second time we have eaten this salad. Won't be the last time. Dreamy.

After lunch, we walked through the Ferry Building and I snapped a few fun photos:
Okay - just so you know - the Taylor's Automatic Refresher in the Ferry Building, and the Taylor's Automatic Refresher in Napa at the Oxbow Market are no longer affiliated with Taylor's Automatic Refresher in St. Helena. These non grata restaurants are now called "Gott's Roadside Tray Gourmet".

This turn of events may possibly change my life. I will let you know in a few days.
Local chocolatier, Scharffen Berger, has a small shop in the Ferry Building. Above is a photo of their dark chocolate salted caramels. There are now two fewer candies in their display case.
I just loved this sign. That's all. Check out their website - the photos are fabutabulous.

Oink.
While I'm on a non-kosher roll (ha ha, I just crack myself up sometimes), how about this Range Brothers T-shirt available from Panther Ranch Meat Company in the Ferry Building?
And speaking of rolls - these fragrant loaves from Acme Bread Company are very tempting.
How long will it be before someone develops a way to send aroma over the internet? iScent? Google Smell (Beta)? JavAroma (with weekly updates, of course)?

We walked on the docks behind the Ferry Building, enjoying the ocean air and warm sunshine.
We watched the ferries leaving the Ferry Building, with the Bay Bridge in the distance.
We people-watched. Some tourists were about, but most of the week-day crowd were office workers on their lunch breaks.
The Ferry Building in San Francisco, California

Later, we strolled over to the Embarcadero Center to have a cup of coffee in the sunshine, enjoy the fountain and more people-watching.

The fountain/sculpture, Quebec Libre!, is the work of Canadian-born sculpture Armand Vaillancourt. Though interesting and huge, to me its best quality is the noisy water drowns out all traffic and city noises - so we enjoyed our coffee in calming peace...
and enjoyed the many sculptures...
below the Embarcadero Center.

Until my next update, where I attempt to run across the Golden Gate Bridge, I remain, your San Francisco correspondent.

RV Park: Candlestick RV Park. Located across the street from Candlestick Park. It is a parking lot, but a very well-located parking lot. Most convenient RV park if you plan to spend time in the city. Full hook-ups. 165 paved back-in and pull-through sites. 24 tent sites. Bathhouse and laundry, store, ice, TV Lounge, free wifi, shuttle to downtown and they will also arrange tours. In the season, this park is busy with rental RVs, filled with happy European tourists. We paid $74 per night. Really.

"It's a semi-true story, believe it or not. I've made up a few things and there's some I forgot.
But the life and the telling are both real to me, And they all run together and turn out to be a semi-true story."- Jimmy Buffett